


without this (never gonna burn my heart out)

by StormyDaze



Category: Imperial Radch Series - Ann Leckie
Genre: Fluff, Peeps, Republic of Two Systems Independence Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-18
Updated: 2020-04-18
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:08:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23709664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StormyDaze/pseuds/StormyDaze
Summary: Sphene has a RoTSID surprise for Zeiat.
Relationships: Gem of Sphene & Zeiat (Imperial Radch)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 29
Collections: What Fen Do (Instead of Going Outside)





	without this (never gonna burn my heart out)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Gammarad](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gammarad/gifts).



The thing about humans is, they change. _Sphene_ ’s seen a lot of humans in its time. They don’t live long, on the scale that _Sphene_ is working with, but even while they’re alive, they change. They cut their hair, or grow it out, or dye it or braid it or curl it or straighten it. They pierce every bit of their skin they can find. They have fashions that change like flames going out, although the soldiers _Sphene_ is used to don’t as much. One day they love a certain drama and the next it’s the worst trash they’ve seen. Years-long friendships end overnight. They abandon staunchly-held positions the moment it’s convenient for them. 

At one time, _Sphene_ liked watching its humans grow. Now it’s just tired. Humans are too much to keep up with.

Zeiat, though, is always constant. No matter how long it’s been since the last time _Sphene_ has seen her, it’s like no time has passed at all. 

“I’m ahead of you by two cakes and half an eggshell,” is the first thing she says to _Sphene_ when she arrives on Athoek Station. She is, of course, referring to the game of counters they paused months ago, the last time they saw each other before Zeiat had to go back to the Presger. _Sphene_ 's kept the game all this time, although before they begin, _Sphene_ has a treat for the translator. It’s interested to see what the translator makes of it.

“Why is everything covered in paper?” Zeiat asks, referring to the garlands and banners adorning the concourse. 

“They’re decorations,” _Sphene_ explains. “To celebrate the holiday. Independence Day, the day we kicked the Usurper out.”

“Are all holidays celebrated by covering things with paper?” Zeiat asks.

“A lot are,” _Sphene_ says, its dry voice conveying how it feels about silly human celebrations. Well, probably not to Zeiat.

“How charming!” Zeiat says.

Of course, before they can begin their game, Zeiat has to meet with _Justice of Toren_ on some official translator business. That’s the only reason the Presger keep sending her back to Athoek Station, and _Sphene_ will never admit it, but it worries about what will happen to Zeiat when she’s no longer needed as intermediary to the idiotically named Republic of Two Systems. Maybe she won’t be Zeiat anymore. Maybe she’ll become someone else, someone _Sphene_ doesn’t like, that is, tolerate, as much.

But she’s Zeiat now, and _Sphene_ doesn’t believe in borrowing trouble. There’s enough of it going around as it is, and if not, _Justice of Toren_ can always be relied upon to make more.

 _Sphene_ has the game of counters set up in its quarters by the time the translator is done with her work. Actually, it’s had the game set up for several days now, but it can pretend it just set it up today. Pretend like it wasn’t waiting for Zeiat. That would be silly.

Beside Zeiat’s side of the board, there’s a plastic package of squishy pink confectioneries. 

“What are these?” Zeiat asks, tearing the plastic off.

“Chicks,” _Sphene_ says. “Like in the song.” Amaat knows how anyone got ahold of that story. Maybe someone overheard _Justice of Toren_ singing that horrid song the day they overthrew the Usurper. Anyway, the brightly colored, sugary chicks have become a traditional treat for the independence holiday.

Zeiat pokes one of the chicks dubiously with her gloved finger. “I rather thought chicks were larger, and mobile,” she says. “And I’ve never seen a pink one before.”

“Well, yes,” _Sphene_ says. Maybe it’s drawing out the explanation, but watching Zeiat process something new is one of its favorite entertainments. “They’re not real chicks. They’re candy in the shape of chicks. People make them for this holiday. I assume that’s another thing we can blame _Justice of Toren_ for.”

“Fascinating!” Zeiat pulls one of the soft pink chicks from the package, separating it from its fellows. She squishes it between her fingers and then watches it spring back into more or less its original form, repeating the action a few more times. For some reason, this delights her, and she laughs out loud. “Look!” she says to _Sphene_ proudly. “If I do this—” she squeezes the chick “it stops being a chick! But then if I let go, it becomes a chick again! How does it know?”

“It’s a mystery, Translator,” _Sphene_ says. It definitely doesn’t smile. Not even a little bit. “Are you going to eat them, or just play with them?”

“You can eat them? When they’re chicks, or do I have to make it not a chick first?”

“Whichever you prefer, Translator,” _Sphene_ says. 

“I don’t think the Fleet Captain would like me eating chicks,” Zeiat says. She squishes the chick between her fingers again, and then, in a surprisingly violent move, tears its head off. She tosses the body in her mouth and chews thoughtfully. _Sphene_ , remembering some other things Zeiat has eaten, is just glad that she bothered to chew it at all. Zeiat drops the newly disembodied candy chick head on their game board.

“No, that’s not at all like a chick,” Zeiat says after she swallows. “I’m not sure what it is, but I think it would go well with fish sauce. Do you have any?”

“Of course, Translator,” _Sphene_ says. “We stocked up just for you. Shall we go fetch some together?”

“So eggs turn into chicks, correct?” Zeiat says as they go to hunt down fish sauce.

“So I’m given to understand,” _Sphene_ says.

“So do these chicks come from eggs as well?” Zeiat asks. 

“I don’t think so, no,” Sphene says. “They’re made of sugar and agar, I believe.”

“So how do they become chicks?” 

Sphene attempts to explain the creation process of the candy as it leads Zeiat on the hunt for fish sauce, feeling a deep sort of contentment. Lots of things change, especially in the Republic of Two Systems. But Zeiat is one thing that remains comfortingly familiar.

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Republic of Two Systems Independence Day! 
> 
> I was totally willing to believe Peeps exist in the IR universe, but gelatin strained my suspension of disbelief, so I went with agar, a vegan gelatin substitute, instead.


End file.
